The Great Barrier Reef stretches along the east coast of Queensland. It is the world's largest coral reef. The Great Barrier Reef is not a single reef, but features more than 2900 individual reefs and 900 islands. Some of these islands are deserted while others are small bare sand cays, permanently vegetated cays and continental islands. Whether you sail, snorkel, dive or swim, the Reef is a marvellous place for recreation.
- www.reefteach.com.au (Reef Teach will infinitely enhance your reef experience)
- www.reef.crc.org.au
CAPE TRIBULATION
Cape Tribulation is one of the truly magnificent areas of Australia. Lush tropical rainforests,
crystal clear swimming creeks, long sandy beaches and plenty of things to see and do. Going on a
horse ride along the beach at sunset is hard to beat.
Cape Tribulation is a National Park and there is no real centre. The rainforest joins the sandy
beaches making it unique as an area where two World Heritage areas meet. There are numerous day
tours available from Cairns and Port Douglas.
Cape Tribulation is approximately 140 km north of Cairns.
DAINTREE
Most people stop and visit the Daintree on the way to Cape Tribulation. The Daintree rainforest
is considered to be one of the most ancient rainforests in the world. It is a World Heritage
protected area and when you visit this timeless place you can easily see why. For nature lovers
the Daintree will simply blow your mind. Doing a river cruise is essential and this is the most
likely place to see a saltwater crocodile in the wild ( keep your toes out of water ! ).
There are two parts of the Daintree. The first is the actual Daintree Village which is situated
on the banks of the Daintree River. It is small, quaint and typically North Queensland.
The second part of the Daintree is the river crossing which takes you to Cape Tribulation and
on to Cooktown. It is approximately 110 km north of Cairns.
ATHERTON TABLELAND
The Atherton Tableland is a very beautiful part of North Queensland with long drives in rich
farming areas, stunning waterfalls and large volcanic lakes with lush tropical rainforest.
The Atherton Tablelands are very easy to navigate and there are literally hundreds of attractions
including museums, cafes, recreation areas and sights to be seen. Most attractions are clearly
sign posted and there are excellent touring maps available.
The weather on the Atherton Tablelands is generally a few degrees cooler than on the coast,
providing a break form the sometimes trying heat of the coast.
KURANDA
Kuranda is located 27 Km northwest of Cairns. It is a small, very beautiful tropical village
hidden amongst the rainforest. Kuranda revolves around the Markets which operate on every day
but are larger on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The Markets are interesting however
there is a lot to see in Kuranda apart from the Markets. If you want to avoid the crowds plan
to visit on a non market day and enjoy all of the other sights at your own pace. The Kuranda
train station is a tour in itself, famous as the most beautiful train station in Australia.
Some of the attractions in Kuranda include Riverboat Cruises, Birdworld, Koala Gardens and
the world famous Butterfly Sanctuary. There are some good shops to buy local arts and crafts
and items such as opals, didgeridoos and t-shirts.
A visit to the Barron Gorge lookout, especially after heavy rain, is spectacular. Getting there
is half the enjoyment. There are a number of options available, most include a combination of
going up on the Kuranda train and returning on the Skyrail cablecar ( or the other way around ).
The Skyrail has won a number of major tourism awards and in reality they are well deserved. It
is a truly unique experience and at the time of publication it was the longest cable car in the
world. There are two stations with rainforest walks, toilets and Wet Tropics Interpretation
Centres. Both forms of transport are good fun and give a different perspective on the journey.
It is possible to go up and come down on the same operation.
